Life Is Hard
by The Gothic Angel's Kiss
Summary: It's been six years since ten year old Pudding fought aliens with her Mew Mew friends, and things have changed. The girls are in college, and sixteen year old Pudding is struggling to make it through life alone, whilst caring for four twelve year olds and her ten year old sister. She turns to some not-so-okay things, and she makes some mistakes. But that's life, and she's dealing.


Pudding kicked a rock a few feet off the path she was walking on, and a black cat across the street caught her eye. The aliens had left years ago, and the girls went their separate ways.  
Of course- they had tried to stick together, but things don't always work out.  
Zakuro was seventeen then, Lettuce fourteen, Ichigo thirteen and Mint twelve, and Pudding herself had been ten.  
They really had tried, with sleepovers and the cafe but it was just too hard.  
It had been six years. Zakuro was off in the adult world, done with uni and excelling in her modeling career, she was also dabbling in acting now. Every once in a while she stopped by the cafe to say hi, but those times were few and far between. Lettuce was in Uni now, a really good one, and Pudding sighed at the thought of her old best friend, they'd been inseparable, back in the day...  
Pudding stopped and kneeled down, trying to get the cat to come closer. Ichigo was attending the local University, and sometimes she hung out with Mint, but rarely with Pudding herself. Mint started Uni next year, majoring in classical dance- she spoke to Pudding every once in a while, but they weren't good friends, they never were.  
Pudding gave up on the cat, continuing her walk to the cafe. She arrived, going to the dressing room to change. "Good afternoon guys!" she called to Keiichiro and Mint, who were already working. Ryou was studying abroad in America. Keiichiro called back, "Ichigo took the late shift again, so she won't be in" Pudding sighed "yeah, okay...tell her I said hi..." she hurried up, putting on her outfit and getting to work. Mint sighed disappointedy, and made her way over. "Yes, Mint?" She gave up the affectionate "big sister" nickname a while ago, maybe two years ago? She didn't quite remember. "Pudding, you've got a bruise, on your arm."

"Yeah, thanks for noticing"  
"Don't you get an attitude with me! All I' saying is are you fit to work looking like that?"  
"Mint, I need this money. It's not about if I'm professional looking. I'm sorry. You know I can't take off..."  
"Yes, I know.." she smiled tightly, like she wanted to say something, but then thought better, "Well, I have some foundation in the locker room, if you put it on before Keiichiro notices I' sure you'll be fine for the day"

Pudding smiled and nodded in thanks, going to the locker room. She searched through Mint's makeup bag, lying on the pink bench by the lockers, until she found her shade. She knew Mint had these just for her, but she didn't know a way to thank her without seeming weak, so she just pretended it was a coincidence. Thankfully, Mint seemed to be okay with it. Pudding applied a thick coat over her bruise, topping it with some translucent powder. She didn't wear makeup other than the occasional eyeliner and mascara, but she knew enough about it to know what she was doing. Mint, on the other hand, was a makeup _master_, always looking like a delicate and pristine doll. Pudding put the makeup back, and headed back out.

* * *

After their shifts were done, Pudding and Mint were changed and ready to head home. "Mint, do you wanna go to the park sometime? Maybe go swimming?" Pudding turned to her friend hopefully.  
"Sorry, I'd love to, but I have a lot of practicing and I took up some extra classes to prepare me for next year"  
"Oh, that's okay, good luck"

"Thank you" Mint waved goodbye as she got into her car, it was a black sports car that Pudding never could remember the name of, no matter how many times Mint bragged about it.

Pudding waved goodbye to the other girls who worked there. Without Lettuce, Ryou, and Zakuro, the cafe had needed more help. Keiichiro had also extended the hours since the girls' had such full schedules now, and they took shifts, as well as the other five or six girls who now worked there. The other's had black and white versions of the Mew's cafe uniforms, and it gave Pudding a childish sense of satisfaction that they were still special. Even when she'd outgrown her old uniform three times, they always got her a new yellow one, instead of black and white. It made her really happy.

Pudding noticed it was getting dark, and decided to run home. She unlocked the door, and called out a hello. Her little brothers' called from their room, too busy with their video games to come down. She tied on her worn out buttercup yellow apron, heading into the kitchen, where Heicha was waiting for her. The ten year old was as helpful as she could be, cleaning and helping to cook, she even held little acts on her free days in the park, like Pudding had done, and still did.

"Heicha, what did you decide on today?"  
"I figured since it's late we could just make some rice with almonds, sis"

"Alright, sounds good. I'll make the rice, you rinse some almonds"

"Gotcha!" They began to cook, the quiet comforting and relaxing. Heicha had her bratty moments, but when they cooked together, it was nice and Pudding wouldn't give it up for the world. When they were finished, she set the table while her sister brought the food out.

"Dinner time, boys!" The thud of six feet came down the stairs, as the three boys settled into their seats. Pudding frowned,  
"Where's Lucha?"  
Chicha answered, "He's out in the alley with his friends again..."  
"But he knows we need him tonight!"  
Hanatcha sighed, "He said he left thirty bucks on the counter, that's all he's made this week."

Her eyes widened, "th-thirty? Does he know what this week is?!" She sighed, gathering herself, "It's fine. That's fine. We'll pull through. I'll go out tonight and-"

"No!" Heicha shouted, tearing up, "It's his fault for skipping out on work! You shouldn't have to make up for it!" Pudding smiled at her sister, "Thank you Heicha, but I do. You guys are my family and I need to take care of you. Papa paid the mortgage for us, but he stopped. We need to pay everything. The rent is due on Sunday. It's Friday- I'm not going to lie to you guys, we have a lot of bills. Electricity is going to be 70, Utility's are 40...Internet is 20 and your phones are 10 each. Heicha, do the math for me dear?"

"ummm...190?"

"Yes, 190. Food and toiletries and things like that are another six hundred. that is around eight hundred dollars. Add 900 for the mortgage. I make eight an hour, four hours a day, seven days a week. That's 224 a week. I do the shows, about a 20 bucks a day- another 140 a week. 364 a week. Four weeks in a month, that's 1456. We need 1700. 244 dollars left. Heicha can't work other than her acts, that's around five dollars a day. 25. You each need to make 55 dollars to cover the rest. No, figure in that I cannot possible preform seven days a week- that's twenty a day down the drain each time I have to practice or have too much schoolwork or am injured. Also add in all the things you buy yourselves. He made 30 this week- do you guys understand how behind that puts us? Very behind. Boys, what did you each make?"

Honcha put out sixty dollars, "I made sixty"

Pudding smiled, "Thank you" She handed him ten back, like she always did, and he took it.  
Hanatcha put out fifty dollars, "I don't need anything this week, so keep all of it" Pudding took it gratefully.  
Chincha handed her sixty, "I don't need it either"

"Thank you, boys...that would make us only 30 behind, but I only made it to preform three days this week. So we need 70 dollars. Heicha, that is why I need to go out tonight. 70 dollars is more than I have saved up. I have two nights to make it. I can only preform tomorrow. That's at least 50 that i need tonight. Do you get it?"

Heicha looked down at her food sadly, "Yeah, sis...I get it"  
Pudding put some rice into her mouth and laughed, "Well then, enough of this serious stuff- let's eat!"


End file.
